Another Friday in 2019, another new Seattle in the Spotlight! This week’s headlines surrounding the Seattle tech community include: Washington State Greenlights Delivery Robots on Sidewalks, Washington State Embraces New Fees on Electric Vehicles in Pursuit of Greener Transportation, Numbers Show Apprenticeships Are on the Rise in Washington, and more.

Washington State Greenlights Delivery Robots on Sidewalks

GeekWire | Monica Nickelsburg | April 30

“Autonomous delivery robots will soon be allowed on Washington state’s sidewalks. On Tuesday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law that establishes new regulations for “personal delivery devices” like the delivery robot Amazon unveiled earlier this year. Starship Technologies — an Estonia-based company started by Skype’s co-founders — builds delivery robots like the ones Washington just greenlit. Starship worked closely with Washington state lawmakers on the legislation so perhaps it’s fitting that one of the company’s robots delivered the bill to Inslee.”

Washington State Embraces New Fees on Electric Vehicles in Pursuit of Greener Transportation

GeekWire | Monica Nickelsburg | April 30

“Lawmakers in Washington state want to encourage adoption of electric vehicles and construction of the infrastructure necessary to support them. But some EV owners are calling out their approach as counter-intuitive. This week, the Washington legislature passed a bill that increases the annual fees electric vehicle owners are required to pay to fund the development of EV infrastructure, like charging stations.”

Go to College? Numbers Show Apprenticeships Are on the Rise in Washington

KING 5 | Tony Black | April 26

“Apprenticeships are growing in popularity across America and many companies are looking to take advantage of that interest to infuse lots of new, young workers into the trade industry…According to the U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeships have seen a 56 percent growth since 2013. Here in Washington state, they added more than 16,000 apprentices during the 2018 fiscal year through 210 active programs. On average, both those who are considered fully proficient and completed an apprenticeship and a four-year college graduate earn about the same starting pay: $50,000 a year.”

Pike Place Market in Seattle: What to See and Do

CNN | Lilit Marcus | April 26

“Pike Place Market is second only to the Space Needle as the most famous spot in Seattle. While the gum wall and Rachel the pig are favorite photo ops for visitors to the Emerald City, the bustling market is still a major draw for residents. Every day, thousands of Seattleites come by to pick up birthday flowers, shop for fresh produce or meet friends for a drink after work.”